Obligations Of Members Toward The Local Church
No informed child of God would deny that each local church has God-given responsibilities, obligations, and duties. We strive to make all aware that these God-assigned duties are the responsibility of each and every member of the local church, so far as that member has the ability and the opportunity to perform them. We labor to get all to see that these are mutual duties - charged to all of us alike. Within the limits of our ability and our opportunity. This God-ordained work does not fall upon our "elected representatives" or "paid lobbyists."
When a Christian becomes a member of a local congregation he actually enters into a solemn covenant, both with God and with the other Christians who make up that local church, that he will faithfully share in its joys and successes. This is a part of what membership in a local church means. This matter faces each of us and forces us to ask: Have I kept this covenant? Have I done the best I can to help this church carry out its God-given mission and to realize the ends and objectives which it has undertaken with God's approval? Certainly, many have demonstrated their fidelity, or this church would have failed long ago.
However, there are members of local churches, this one included, who either never realized their full responsibility in the local church, or have almost, if not altogether, forgotten it.
The obligation some seem to feel is to assemble at 11 o'clock on the first day of the week and eat the Lord's Supper, unless company comes in at the last minute.
It seems that whether attendance in Bible classes increases or decreases as no concern of theirs. Whether audiences at the regular worship are large or small is certainly no part of their responsibility, as far as they are concerned. Whether anyone calls upon those who move into the city is immaterial to this those who move into the city is immaterial to this group. (If such is to be done, the preacher has been hired for that purpose.) Increasing the contribution to enable the church to support more gospel preaching never seems to weigh upon their minds. There are so many who just go their merry way, gadding about all over the country, visiting here and there, doing this and that, with little or no thought about the peculiar relationship they sustain to a certain local church. (Don't nullify this by saying, "Why is he opposed to visiting?" Not so!)
You see, membership in a God-ordained local congregation is of little importance to this group we have described. Are you one of these? If so, why? I believe there are reasons. Not all of those who do as we have indicated are completely unconcerned about their soul's salvation; it would be cruel of me to so charge them. The main reason for the attitude and consequent action, I believe, is this: They do not understand the relationship that a Christian sustains to the local church of which he is a member; consequently, they neglect the responsibility God has placed upon them as a Christian in a local church. For this reason, we want to talk to you about the obligations of members toward the local congregation and why they have these obligations. (Lest some misunderstand, may I add that I have reference to a local church that is sound in faith and practice.)
Because some do not seem to understand the relationship of the member to the local church, we offer some preliminary, practical, and pertinent observations of God's plan for the Christian. The gospel of Christ (which is universal in its scope) is God's power to save the believer. And when the believer is saved by God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, the Lord adds him to the church (Rom. 1:16,17; 3:19-28; Mk. 16:15,16; Acts 2:38,47 Gal. 3:26-29; I Cor. 12:13.) The body to which this obedient, saved believer is added is the spiritual body of Christ, the church belonging to Christ, the one church, the church universal, (Mt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22,23;5:25-27.) However, the church in this sense has no work assigned, no organizational structure for brotherhood or centralized and universal activity of any kind as a body. This body had no universal work assigned, no universal or brotherhood treasury, no brotherhood officers, no brotherhood organizations of any kind, no brotherhood meetings for this body is not a functional unit. Yet, there is a work of God which must be done here on the earth - and done by Christians collectively.
For this purpose, if for no other, God ordained Christians be joined together locally, forming local churches or congregations - committees of Christians in a certain geographical location - fully equipped for work and worship. (Phil. 1:1;I Cor. 1:1,2;1 Th. 1:1; Acts 14:23; 20:28; I Pet. 5:1-4.) Furthermore, the local church is God's only operational, functional, working, organized body of Christians bound together for collective activity in the discharge of divine precepts and spiritual pursuits.
Moreover, this local, organized body of Christians in its congregational capacity functions in the discharge of its God-ordained word through its individual members as they fulfill their obligations to the local church and under its direction and oversight - and in many cases by its monetary support. The action of which we speak is congregational in nature and scope, not universal church action. Church work in N. T. days was never discharged through a central agency of any kind - other than a local church - whether Missionary Society, Edification Society, Benevolence Society, College, or Sponsoring Church.
For proof of the work that local churches are to do today and how they are to do it, take a look at the N. T. churches in the discharge of their work. They were charged with the work of evangelism. (Phil. 4: 15,16; II Cor. 11:8,9; Acts 11:22-26; I Th. 7,8.) They supported gospel preaching both at home and elsewhere. They raised their own money to do their own work according to the divine plan. (I Cor. 16:1,2; II Cor. 9:7; 8:11,12.) All faithful Christians felt a responsibility in preaching and teaching the word, which they did according to their ability and opportunity. They did not try to shift all of this work to the apostles. (I Th. 1:7,8; Acts 8:4; Phil. 2:13-16; 4:3; II Tim. 2:1,2; Acts 18:24-26; Col. 1:7.) They were charged with the work of edification, which they did effectively. (Eph. 4;11-16; Heb. 10:24,25;I Th. 4:18; 5:11,12-14; I Tim. 5:17,18.) They were also charged with a work of benevolence which they also did. (I Tim. 5:16; Acts 6:1-6.) In the matter of benevolence, when a church could not supply the needs of those for whom it was responsible - when it became an object of charity - others were directed to come to its aid and supply its need, only as long as the need existed. (Acts 11:27-30; I Cor. 16:1-4; II Cor. 8,9)
Thus each local church did (and must do) its own work under the oversight of its own elders and served by its own deacons. So we are taught that God not only placed duties upon the Christian as an individual Christian - to be performed as an individual, but he, also, placed duties upon the Christian to be performed as a member of the local church where he is a member. In neither realm can the Christian afford to shirk, shift, or slothfully perform the work assigned to him.
Now, are you not convinced that each member of a local church sustains a peculiar relationship to that congregation - a relationship which he sustains to no other - which entails obligations to that local congregation which he HAS TO NO OTHER? There is no doubt about it; God expects him to maintain this peculiar relationship in good standing by fulfilling the obligations it entails. It is either this or else. The Lord not only teaches "repent or perish"; he also teaches "obey or be dammed."
Failing to understand this relationship one fails to see his obligation to the local church. But, of course, ignorance is no excuse! (Lk. 12:47,48; I Tim. 1:13.)